The Return of the Morning Star
by U2LoVeR
Summary: The return of the Dúnedain to Middle Earth.
1. Milk and cookies

The Return of the Morning Star  
  
By U2LoVeR  
  
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A/N: Enjoy!  
  
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The old woman sat back in her comfy chair and smiled. As she smiled, the wrinkles in her face deepened, making her look ancient. But she was not thinking about how she looked, for the old woman was remembering.  
  
Sunlight, blue skies, a green field dotted with flowers by the roaring sea, and the sound of children laughing. She turned around to see the faces of-  
  
"Excuse us," the voice snapped the aged woman out of her daydream. She turned to the direction of the voice. A boy stood there. He was in the awkward stage between childhood and adolescence, she observed, skinny with bright eyes and dark hair. Next to him was a young girl, about ten, with the same dark hair and bright eyes that led the old woman to conclude that she was the boy's sister. She could tell that they were probably descendants of Elros, not only by their dark hair and bright eyes, but they had the dignity and grace of all his descendants.  
  
"Yes?" the woman replied. Though her voice was stern, the sparkle in her eyes and small smile on her lips encouraged the youth to continue.  
  
"We-my sister and I- wanted to know if you would tell us a story."  
  
The old woman smiled a little again. "What story would that be?"  
  
The young girl butted in excitedly when she saw the woman's smile, "The story of the Children of Elwen!"  
  
The old woman did not smile any more. "Why do you want to know that story? Is not there other story tellers who will tell you that story?"  
  
The boy answered this time, "Oh, we have asked them to tell us that story, for I heard something about that story from my mother and whispered amongst the adults like some rumor, but the story tellers would not tell that story. They said to come to you."  
  
"Why did they not tell it?" she asked.  
  
"They said it was it was to high for them. They said that you were the best story teller and the only one who could tell the story," the young girl replied, sheepishly.  
  
After a moment's hesitation, she looked in the two children's pleading eyes. "Alright. There are some cookies and milk in the kitchen. Quickly, go grab them."  
  
The children ran to the kitchen and back. They sat at her feet and started happily munched on the cookies, waiting for the story to begin. The old woman sighed and looked out her window, at the gentle Númenor seaside.  
  
"Where does one begin in such a long story?" she asked aloud to herself.  
  
"At the beginning," the young girl suggested happily.  
  
The old woman gave the little girl a broad smile, for she loved children. "You are wise beyond your years. Yes, I shall begin at the beginning." 


	2. Aulendil and Elwen

A/N: I now have a deal to all who read this story. If you review my story, I will review yours. So click that little button at the bottom of this page to get the little button at the bottom of your story clicked!  
  
And now for my thank you:  
  
Elithien: Thank you for waiting so patiently. I hope you enjoy the old lady's tale.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Some things were destined before the beginning of Eä, of which only Eru Ilúvatar had known that would be and he uses them to give light to others and himself glory. Often they are mysterious, such as how high Luthien could love mortal Beren. One such mystery is the union of Aulendil and Elwen..  
  
Aulendil walked outside. From inside he could hear the laughter of the people as they feasted. But Aulendil did not feel hungry, nor did he feel much like laughing. He sighed as he remembered the evening before. Was it a figment of his imagination? Did he really meet her? He was scared to blink, lest it be a dream and he woke up to find that all that had past was simply a dream.  
  
He met what he was sure the most beautiful creature the night before. While walking about in Eldalondë the Green, fairest of all havens Númenor, at the earliest time. Just before dawn, when the morning star was in the sky, he heard singing. Enchanted, Aulendil followed the voice all the way to the golden tree malinornë. Under the tree was a maiden. For a while, Aulendil listened to the maiden's song. It was of the history of Eä, the sorrow of all the creatures that dwell on the Earth, but how they hope for something yet to come.  
  
Suddenly, the maiden turned to Aulendil, who found himself unable to say anything, strange for him. He always had something wise to say since he learned to talk, some joked that he could since he was born.  
  
"And who are you?" she simply asked him.  
  
"Aulendil," was all he could manage to say.  
  
The maiden smiled, "Well, I am Elwen."  
  
They talked for sometime, but to Aulendil it seemed such a short time. Now he hoped to see this Elwen again.  
  
It was strange to Aulendil that there would be someone in this haven that he did not know. He was the son of Vardamir Nólimon and grandson of Elros, it seemed that he knew everyone, for people were quite anxious to know one such as him. Patiently, he listened to everyone's stories, and learned their names. He chuckled as he remembered some of the odd people he had met. He did have time for all of that. Aulendil was a warrior (a very skilled one at that) and so he had little. There were no wars and the little island was all by itself, so there were none to protect it from.  
  
Soon enough, Aulendil heard the singing of Elwen at the rise of the morning star and they talked together again. When Elwen was about to leave though, Aulendil grabbed her wrist.  
  
"I will not let you leave without first asking you to marry me," he told her.  
  
"Of course I will marry you, but only under the condition that you tell no one me," Elwen replied.  
  
Aulendil quickly complied. So, underneath the Golden Tree, when the world was bursting forth with spring, Elwen and Aulendil married. Secretly, they would meet together and Elwen had three children: Linril, Maeguial, and Glowien, all secretly brought up.  
  
Soon, though, Aulendil found pressure. His father presses him to find himself a bride. Every woman who was brought to Aulendil though, Aulendil had little (if any) interest in them and refused to marry any of them.  
  
People grew indignant of him, for he turned their fair daughter, sister or cousin away with the simple wave of his hand. The pressure was too much for poor Aulendil and in his greatest moment of weakness, he revealed to his father that he had a beautiful wife and three fair children.  
  
Aulendil did not realize what he had done until he went to see his wife under malinornë and she was not there. Only his three fair children were there and Aulendil was filled with grief. He went to his brother, the King, gave him his three children and instructed him to keep them in the best of care.  
  
"For they are not normal children, but the children of fair Elwen. They will be of great importance to all the world."  
  
With these words, Aulendil took a ship and sailed off. Where he was going to or where his body at last lies, no one knows.  
  
But this was not the end of this mysterious pairing. For the three remarkable children still yet lived. 


End file.
